New and Experienced Climbers Over 50 #29

Dang, thats a lot of money for insurance!  We pay 1200 a year for 2 cars and under 2k for a year of homeowners. Is anything cheap in CA? Burritos?

Got a day in the hills yesterday, 5 climbs and a little hike up the mountain next to the crag after.

Same insurance story over here. Homeowners policy is currently $3700/year, with a very high deductible. Had this HO policy for 23 years, and never made a claim.

Currently paying $2200/year with State Farm for two vehicles. Been with SF for nearly 30 years- only one claim in the last 20 years due to someone else hitting me.

I did some shopping around last fall, and it became clear that these rates aren't going to be beat by anyone...and in fact, most carriers are moving out of this market as fast as they can. My agent says that SF won't be leaving this market, but I'm very skeptical of that- that axe could fall at any time.

Y’all need to move to DE. Just paid my homeowners today. $702. Plus no sales tax and low property tax (1/2 of neighboring PA). We let corporate America pay for schools and roads

Lori… please please don’t think you know how to place gear and lower… it’s above your pay grade. Trust me. Better to stick to what you know and keep being cautious. I for one would be devastated if you got killed.

California… welcome to the fruits of 20 years of Democrat (supermajority) government. My HOA was dropped by State Farm so I’m (all of us) paying a special HOA fee of $250/mo extra… 

And no more cheap Burritos- $20/hr minimum wage and crushing inflation has taken care of that. Or one can go find one of the industrious people who are selling Burritos and Tamales straight outta a cooler, on a street corner, they made at home. People are smart- smarter than the clowns running my state into the ground.

Enuf of that thought… time for a zanex 

Later all

This makes more sense now after hearing about so many folks from CA moving to other states. I have to say whenever a state is run by a majority of either (R) or (D) it tends to go badly, especially when politics become ingrained with the majority of voters. 

Guy Keeseewrote:

California… welcome to the fruits of 20 years of Democrat (supermajority) government. My HOA was dropped by State Farm so I’m (all of us) paying a special HOA fee of $250/mo extra… 

And no more cheap Burritos- $20/hr minimum wage and crushing inflation has taken care of that. 

Fact check. Florida, a state that has not by any stretch if the imagination been run by Democrats, is facing a similar, if not worse, home owners insurance crisis. 

Both states do share a common factor -- natural disaster risks. Hurricanes or Wildfires, pick your poison. Also, in both cases, climate change has exacerbated these trends - hotter seas lead to more intense hurricanes. Sea level rise in Florida has already been significant and is only going to get worse. In California, drought has left wild lands at significantly more at risk to large fires. In both cases, a long history of building homes in areas highly prone to damage (coastline in FL and wildland interface in CA) is a factor as well.

These larger and more expensive disasters raise the cost to insurers (to spread their risk when) buying re-insurance. Reform of laws in both states is warranted and on the table.  

And contrary to some narratives, the Fed and experts agree, rapid wage growth has not been an important driver of inflation.

Guy Keeseewrote:

California… welcome to the fruits of 20 years of Democrat (supermajority) government.

Insurance companies are canceling and/or leaving California because of two things. The first is their perception of increased risk (and they're probably right - look just at the recent history of wildfires statewide). The second is proposition 103 which was voted in by voters, not by one party or another.

Californians voted to have limits placed on insurance companies' profits. It sounded good. But like too many voters, Californians didn't think about long term cause and effect.

For good or for bad, insurance companies are businesses. If they feel that they can't make a profit? They won't do business. The above two factors have made many of them feel like they can't make a profit in California.

Blaming this on a Democratic supermajority is facile.

Brad Youngwrote:

Blaming this on a Democratic supermajority is facile.

There is a certain logic to it, since it's the same electorate that votes in the super majority over and over again that passed the insurance initiatives. 

Well, it at least feels good to commiserate. I love California.  I realize we gotta pay for some of the extras. It looks like there are not a lot of options regarding homeowners insurance, but maybe I can shop for better car insurance. My insurance agent advised me just one thing – – don’t let these policies lapse without a replacement.  

—-

I got out to climb with Bob today. Maybe I love the desert as much or more than the Climbing. There was not a soul anywhere. The weather was warm, perfect and we climbed in the shade. I just feel blessed. For the last year random music or playlists have defined my outings. Today, Luther Vandross totally set the tone for me.

I’m enjoying routes not slab… today was no exception. Bob had his eye on a new patch of rock and sussed out a new route.  I always say when Bob stops humming I know it’s rough up there. He was absolutely not humming today and in fact I have never seen him climb so hard.  I tried the route myself, knowing I would encounter parts that are too hard for me.  The upper third is nearly vertical slab with almost no holds. There are a couple tiny nuggets way out of my reach with no feet where you just have to, as Jan says, “bear down like a mother and crank on up.”. Or words to that effect.    We’re talking digging into those crystals with finger tips and pulling your whole weight up. Ouch! Li Hu could do it with his amazing hang boarding strength.

I know everyone here is aware of this, but I am still learning every time I go out – – pull hips in, on hard crimps thumb over forefinger, keep feet beneath me, get more triceps, sequences sequences sequences. Oh, and on ledges on steep slab step way out to maintain balance. 

Have a little Vandross tonight.  Show someone some love.    

Once Bob has settled on the name for a new route, I will share it if he doesn’t first.

Kristian Solemwrote:

There is a certain logic to it, since it's the same electorate that votes in the super majority over and over again that passed the insurance initiatives. 

Maybe. But since prop 103 was passed in 1988 when George Deukmejian (Republican) was governor and our state voted for George Bush (Republican) over what's his face from Massachusetts?

Yeah, maybe not.

Voters wanting something without looking at consequences isn't a Democratic or Republican issue.

EDIT: And don't get me wrong, I hate insurance companies. I've worked against them for decades, trying to help consumers. I've seen them do callous, terrible and horrible things (I've also seen them stand up and do the right thing).

Insurance though is a necessary evil. And trying to reduce the cost of insurance in spite of the workings of a free market? We're seeing the results.

Got my butt kicked at work the last few days. Hot and muggy. Splitting firewood after work and then hitting the beach for some tunes. yesterday a storm came in

  I only managed two songs before I had to take refuge in the van.

today I soaked in my creek for a long time after work.

I had a supervisor

beach was nice.

 played a long set

 blood moon on the way home. 

didn't have a real camera..

Lori, I'm surprised by how much that rock you're climbing looks like Flaming Rock at City.

Nick, I like your supervisor.

La Luz trail today from Sandia crest. Warm and breezy. Beautiful time of year in NM. Taos tomorrow hoping for snow up high and full creeks.

Re politics: 

Our issues and the solution to them are extremely complicated. Political parties have agendas, that change over time.
I’m pretty aware of the consequences.

The only thing I’m sure of is we get the government we deserve because of the shamefully low voter turnout.  

Over and out 

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

I figured it  had something to do with wild fires. my home insurance is $65.00 a month.. 

Agree, but here in Idaho we've also had many huge fires, sometimes "snowing" at our house in July/August from the ash  My opinion is that some insurance companies are "creative" in the use of natural disasters to increase rates even in areas with little or no risk.  Consider J Tree where I'd guess that both wildfire and earthquake risk is low.

Lori Milaswrote:

Well, it at least feels good to commiserate. I love California.  I realize we gotta pay for some of the extras. 

Those extras in many cases are personal freedoms and not getting killed by zealots.  

Keep on those climbs! I love seeing us folks in this thread climbing steep!   

Why has no one mentioned their garden? I know Jan has to be growing something. Guy. Helen.  Probably Brandt. And yet no one’s talking.  I don’t know what happened to my initiative this year, but I have no garden. However, I have been bringing home more vegetables from our local farmers market than ever before. And I’m doing a lot more cooking.

I have been saving meals and recipes from my favorite Italian chef and this is his memorial day meal.  What is not seen here is the bruschetta.

Li Huwrote:

Nick and Carl, lay off climbing too until your shoulders feel “super strong”. When they heal properly, they should feel very strong, like superman.

I was going to leave this alone for a variety of reasons, but I just can't.  Li Hu, I'm sure you must be speaking from personal experience when you describe shoulders healing like this.  I'd be curious to hear what this is based on.  And maybe others have had similar experiences to yours, but I think this whole "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" mindset, especially around injuries, especially for us older folks, is rubbish.  Certainly many small sprains can heal completely, but many never do, and need to be managed for the rest of your life.  Still others can even lead to additional cascading issues.  For example, one day I had a mild injury in my forearm from hangboarding which led to a nerve issue that is still there.  Heck, I still have to manage an issue in my shoulder from an injury weight lifting when I was in my 20s, and also have to manage issues with my knees from rough stuff when I was in my teens.

So unless you know something specific about "shoulders" that I'm unaware of, I think the idea that you can rest a shoulder (or any injury) for a couple of weeks and take time off climbing, and then be stronger than ever, is dangerous.  It's a casual mindset, which, if taken to its extension, would lead to an accumulation of injuries that could lead to no more climbing, debility, etc.

GO

This popped up in my Facebook feed from somewhere and it was so cool I wanted to share it. I saw the facts and photos from Vitaliy when he did the Goliath a couple of years ago, but seeing it in this graphic just blew me away. I was tired after just my little hike to Potato Mtn yesterday!

Garden: my strawberries are going like gangbusters this year. A couple of them are doing something called vivipary, where the seeds in the fruit prematurely germinate and start little plants.

GabeOwrote:

I was going to leave this alone for a variety of reasons, but I just can't.  Li Hu, I'm sure you must be speaking from personal experience when you describe shoulders healing like this.  I'd be curious to hear what this is based on.  And maybe others have had similar experiences to yours, but I think this whole "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" mindset, especially around injuries, especially for us older folks, is rubbish.  Certainly many small sprains can heal completely, but many never do, and need to be managed for the rest of your life.  Still others can even lead to additional cascading issues.  For example, one day I had a mild injury in my forearm from hangboarding which led to a nerve issue that is still there.  Heck, I still have to manage an issue in my shoulder from an injury weight lifting when I was in my 20s, and also have to manage issues with my knees from rough stuff when I was in my teens.

So unless you know something specific about "shoulders" that I'm unaware of, I think the idea that you can rest a shoulder (or any injury) for a couple of weeks and take time off climbing, and then be stronger than ever, is dangerous.  It's a casual mindset, which, if taken to its extension, would lead to an accumulation of injuries that could lead to no more climbing, debility, etc.

GO

What I meant is to lay off anything strenuous until the body completely heals. When it is completely healed, it should feel really strong.

In fact, when climbing or hanging, we older folks should never “crank” any more. We can load a bit, but never more than what’s “comfortable”. Stick with open hand grip for training. Crimps should be minimised as much as possible.

In my 40s to 50s, I used to “grip it and rip it” in golf leading to injuries in my back, shoulders, neck, knees, etc. Of course, I had a “John Daly” roundish body to boot.

Nowadays, I swing “easy”, losing only a tiny bit of distance, and can still par par 4s using only irons without cranking nor ripping it.

I had learnt this through gym/sport climbing, gripping only barely enough to stay on a climb.

Agree, accumulating injuries isn’t going to help with climbing.